The Canadian Experience Class (CEC) is one of the three federal programs managed through Express Entry. It is designed specifically for people who have already gained skilled work experience in Canada — unlike the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), which accepts foreign work experience. The CEC recognises that candidates with Canadian work experience have already demonstrated their ability to settle and contribute to the Canadian labour market and have a built-in social and economic network in Canada.

The CEC has simpler eligibility criteria than the FSW — there is no 67-point selection factor grid. Eligibility depends primarily on having at least 1 year of paid Canadian skilled work experience in the past 3 years and meeting language thresholds. For current eligibility requirements, refer to the IRCC CEC page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s 87.1 — the CEC eligibility criteria
• IRCC: Canadian Experience Class — canada.ca/cec
• IRCC: Express Entry — who can apply — canada.ca/express-entry-who-can-apply
• IRCC: CRS criteria — canada.ca/crs-criteria

Work experience requirement — 1 year, Canadian, skilled

The core requirement is at least 1 year of paid work experience in Canada (or 1,560 hours total — the equivalent of full-time work at 30 hours per week) gained in the 3 years before applying. The experience can be spread across multiple jobs in the same or different TEER categories, provided each occupation is at TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3. Key requirements for the work experience to count:

• Must be paid work — wages or commission; volunteer work and unpaid internships do not count
• Must have been performed while authorised to work in Canada under temporary resident status (e.g., on a work permit, or as a student with valid work authorisation)
• Must have been performed while physically in Canada — remote work for a foreign employer from outside Canada does not qualify
• Work as a self-employed person generally does not count

The work experience must be gained in an occupation at TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 under the National Occupational Classification (NOC). For current NOC TEER category details, see the NOC TEER matrix page.

Language requirements — CLB thresholds by TEER level

The CEC has two language thresholds depending on the TEER level of the qualifying work experience:

• TEER 0 or 1 work experience: Minimum CLB 7 in each of the 4 language abilities (reading, writing, listening, speaking) in English or French
• TEER 2 or 3 work experience: Minimum CLB 5 in each of the 4 language abilities

Language is tested through an approved test: IELTS or CELPIP for English; TEF Canada or TCF Canada for French. For current CLB conversion tables and approved tests, refer to the language testing CLB page.

No proof of funds required

Unlike the FSW, the CEC does not require the applicant to demonstrate settlement funds. This is because CEC applicants are already in Canada and working — they have demonstrated their ability to support themselves economically. Funds are not assessed as part of CEC eligibility.

No FSW selection factor grid

There is no 67-point selection factor grid for the CEC — the eligibility requirements are the work experience and language minimums described above. Meeting these minimums qualifies the applicant to submit an Express Entry profile under the CEC. Once in the pool, the applicant is ranked by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which is the same scoring system used for FSW and FSTP candidates. See the CRS page for how CRS scores are calculated.

CEC and CRS — Canadian experience bonus

The CRS awards points for Canadian work experience — candidates with Canadian experience (which is what CEC applicants have) receive a significant CRS bonus compared to candidates with only foreign experience. This, combined with the generally higher language scores of people who have been working in Canada, means CEC applicants often have competitive CRS scores. For current CRS point values for Canadian experience, refer to the IRCC CRS criteria page.

CEC and the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

Many CEC applicants are international students who completed their studies in Canada and are working on a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). After accumulating 1 year of skilled Canadian work experience on the PGWP, they may qualify for the CEC. The PGWP is therefore a common stepping stone to CEC-based Express Entry. For current PGWP eligibility rules (which changed significantly in 2024), refer to the PGWP post-2024 page.

CEC vs. FSW — when each applies

Feature	CEC	FSW
Work experience required	Canadian — 1 year in last 3 years	Any — 1 year in last 10 years
Selection factor grid	No	Yes — 67/100 pass mark
Language minimum	CLB 7 (TEER 0/1) or CLB 5 (TEER 2/3)	CLB 7 in all abilities
Proof of funds	Not required	Required (unless job offer or valid work permit)
Education requirement	None (education still counts for CRS points)	Post-secondary diploma or higher

An applicant may qualify under both CEC and FSW simultaneously — for example, someone with both Canadian and foreign work experience. Both program streams can appear in a single Express Entry profile and the applicant can be invited through either.

The CEC has historically had very competitive invitation draws because of the CRS bonus for Canadian work and study experience. CEC-specific draws and category-based draws introduced since 2023 can invite candidates at lower CRS scores than the general draw — meaning CEC applicants may receive invitations even with scores that would not qualify in an all-program general draw. For current Express Entry draw history and CRS cutoff scores, refer to the IRCC Express Entry rounds of invitations page.